This invention relates to a device for returning a basketball to the shooter at a desired location on a basketball court. More particularly, the invention relates to a basketball return device which attaches to and can be easily removed from the rim or net of a basketball goal without the use of a ladder.
Repetitive practicing a skill has been proven to be a key factor in developing consistent performance in athletics. Doing so is particularly important in the game of basketball. The object of the game of basketball is to shoot the ball through a goal. The goal includes a circular rim having an inverted truncated conical net, typically constructed of nylon rope, suspended beneath the rim. Basketball players spend a great deal of time repetitively shooting the basketball through the net to improve their shooting performance.
A majority of the time, a basketball which passes through the basketball goal will drop straight beneath the net. Therefore, the practicing shooter must either rely upon an assistant to return the ball or leave his or her shooting position and walk over to the goal to retrieve the ball.
A number of basketball return devices have been introduced in recent years. In general, these devices permit a practicing shooter to repeat his or her shots from a given location on the court without having someone to retrieve the ball. These prior art devices fall into two general categories: (1) return devices designed to return all basketballs shot in the direction of the goal; and (2) return devices designed to return only basketballs which pass through the basketball goal.
The first category of prior art devices, that is, those designed to return all shot basketballs, typically consist of a large netting structure supported from the floor or hung on the backboard. Players must shoot the ball in a substantially arcked trajectory to insure that it will pass over the netting structure toward the goal. A portion of the missed shots rebound against the inside of the net enclosure and are funneled to a floor supported ball return track. These devices are typically cumbersome, quite costly and obstruct the shooter's view of the goal.
The second category of prior art devices, that is, those designed to return only made shots which pass through the basketball goal, typically consist of a short track or chute rigidly mounted to the backboard or rim of the goal. The capabilities of these devices are very limited since they will direct made shots back toward the free throw area only in a direction perpendicular to the backboard. In many cases, a poorly shot ball is deflected by the rigid return structure and fails to roll properly down the short track.
All prior art basketball return devices require substantial effort for their installation and dismantling. This is a significant disadvantage for players who readily transfer from shooting practice to playing a real game on their basketball court. During the game, basketball players will not want any devices attached to the rim, backboard or net while playing because of their impact on the purity of the sport. Furthermore, with most prior art devices, the job of installing, removing and/or changing the return position on the court requires the use of a ladder which is cumbersome and, in many cases, unsafe.
While these prior art devices adequately return basketballs in most situations, a need remains for a practical basketball return device which can be installed and removed easily and quickly by players without the use of a ladder, which consistently returns the basketball to the shooter after all made shots, which does not impair the shooters' view of the goal or attach to the rim in such a way as to misdirect a practice shot, which can be adjusted to return the basketball to any position on the court easily and without the use of a ladder, and which will survive direct impact by missed basketball shots without damaging the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,814 issued to G. Manning on Feb. 9, 1993 discloses a basketball training device including a pair of superimposed rings, one of which rings supports a plurality of risers forming a chute for returning the basketball to the shooter. The other ring supports the device via several L-shaped straps or hooks attached to the basketball rim. The rings are movably connected to one another and allow the chute to be rotated for returning the basketball to a desired position on the court. However, the rings are restrained from movement in an upward direction by stop bars fixed to the straps and thus require adjustment using a ladder or complete removal of the device from the basketball rim.